Switchless multiple bulb electric lantern



Patented Jan. 19, 1943 vSWITCHLESS MULTIPLE BULB ELECTRIC LANTERNWilliam M. Moxley, Kansas City, Mo.

Application December 3, 1941, Serial No. 421,498

3 Claims.

This invention relates to electric hand lanterns and it has for itsobject to provide an improved assemblage of parts by virtue of which avery rugged and reliable type of lantern may be produced. Electric handlanterns have recently found wide favor for use among railroad men,where they have rapidly supplanted the old type oil lantern.

In the earlier types of electric hand lanterns, two bulbs were providedtogether with a switch through which either bulb could be lighted from abattery common to both bulbs. Thus, if one bulb burned out, the user, bymerely shifting the switch', could bring the other bulb into action.However, this margin of safety is now deemed to be insufcient, and theInterstate Commerce Commission has indicated that it is desirable toprovide a third or spare bulb, so that under no likely contingency woulda brakeman or like signalman be left without signaling means.

In the manufacture and use of electric 1anterns of the general typeunder discussion, the movable switch elements not only constitute aconsiderable item of expense, but they cause most of the trouble towhich these lanterns are subject.

Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to get rid ofany movable switch element; to provide the three bulbs demanded by bestpractice; to make the screwing of these bulbs into their sockets serveas the switching function, and to provide friction means between thebulbs and the lamp housing, serving to hold the bulbs in the position towhich they are moved, either inwardly or outwardly of their respectivesockets.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in verticalsection, of a lantern embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an underside plan view of the lantern body alone, illustratingthe three lamp bulbs;

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a metallic contact disc hereinafter described;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through a part of the contact discand its associated insulating disc, and

Fig. 5 illustrates one of the springs constituting the friction meansbetween the bulbs and the lamp body, as hereinafter described.

Like numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the severalfigures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing, 5 designates the lamp body, 6 the bail, 'I askeleton supporting base, and 8 the battery, all of these parts beingcommon in lanterns of this type. A metallic contact disc 9 carries threecontact studs lil, said studs projecting through openings il formed in adisc I2 of insulating material. The disc I2 is secured by a rivet I3 tothe bottom I4 of the metallic casing 5. The contact disc 9 is providedwith a central opening I5 that is materially larger than the head of therivet. Thus, there is no contact between disc 9 and bottom I4, throughsaid rivet. The rivet carries the insulating disc I2, and this disc, inturn, carries contact plate 9 and insulates said contact plate from thebottom I4.

Three sockets I5 project downwardly 4from the bottom I4 and receive th'ethreaded Shanks I'I of conventional light bulbs I8. When these bulbs arescrewed into the sockets, their upper ends make contact with thecorresponding contact studs I0 of plate 9. The positive pole of thebattery is in contact with plate 9 through contact spring or equivalentelement I9, while the negative side of the battery is in electricalcommunication with the bottom I4 through contact spring or equivalentelement.

Thus, when any bulb is screwed into its socket until its upper endengages a corresponding stud III, the bulb will be lighted by currentflowing from I9, through plate 9, said stud I0, a lamp bulb Il, a socketI6, bottom I4 and spring 20, back to the battery.

Friction creating springs 2| encircle the lamp sockets and bear betweenthe bodies of the bulbs and the bottom I4. The function of these springsis to create such friction between the lamp bulbs, the springs and thesockets, that any lamp bulb will remain in the position to which it isturned, whether screwed inwardly or outwardly. Thus, no separate movableswitch elements need be provided and the many troubles experienced withmovable switch elements, arising from corrosion, accidental bending andthe like, will be eliminated.

It is clear that elimination of switch parts will result in increasedeconomy in manufacture, as well as freedom from switch trouble.

The invention is not limited to the precise construction set forth', butincludes within its purview whatever changes fairly come within eitherthe terms or the spirit of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim l. An electric lanterncomprising a body, a battery therein, a plurality of lamp socketsdepending from the underside of said body, a plurality of lamp bulbsadapted to be screwed into said sockets, -a skeleton base upon whichsaid body is mounted, of such amplitude and Sulliciently open to permitthe entry of the fingers thereinto for the purpose of turning said lampbulbs, a contact plate within the body common to all of said bulbs, thelighting of said bulbs or the extinguishment of the same being effectedby screwing the bulbs into or out of said sockets, and friction Ymeanssurrounding each of said sockets and bearing between the correspondingbulb and the lamp body and serving to hold fric- L t f tionally the lampbulb in the position to which it may have been turned in the action oflighting or extinguishing the same.

2. An electric lantern comprising a body, a battery therein, a pluralityof lamp sockets depending from the underside of said body, a

lamp bulbs, a contact plate within the body common to all of said bulbs,the lighting of'said bulbs or the extinguishment of the same beingeffected by screwing the bulbs into or out of said sockets, and helicalsprings surrounding the lamp sockets and bearing between the lanternbody and the upper sides of said bulbs and serving to hold the bulbs inthe position to which they are turned in the act of lighting orextinguishing them.

3. An electric lanternr comprising a body, a.

battery therein, a lamp socket depending from the underside of saidbody, a lamp bulb adapted tQ be screwed into' said socket, a skeletonbase upon which said body is mounted, of such amplitude and suicientlyopen to permit the entry between the bulb and the lamp body and serv-Ving to h'old frictionally the lamp bulb in the position to which it mayhave been turned in the action of lighting or extinguishing the same.

WILLIAM M. MOXLEY.

